Vehicle-signal.



c.-A. vSWITZBR. VBHIGLE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.25, 1913. v

y v 1,128,547, Patented Feb. 1e, 1,915.

narran srarns ravrnnr carica.

CHARLES A. SWITZER, OF PSADENA, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE- SIGNAL Tomi whom -z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. SWITZER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Signal, of which thef0l lowing'is a specification.

This invention relates to a vehicle signal adapted for use on motorvehicles for indieating the direction the vehicleis about to take, or toindicate whether the vehicle .is

' about to* come to a stop, the signal being opautomatically restored tonormal position by erable by the driver,and the main object of theinvention is to cause the said signal, after having been set in eitherof its positions 'indicating a turn to the left or right, to' be theaction of the vehicle in making the turn.

A W'here signals of this character have to be normally restored, thedriver often .neglects to restore them, and the signal thus continues tofalsely indicate the intention of shown a signal of this character whichis the driver, all of which is obviated by the present invention.

In a previous application of mine tiled April 17th, 1913, Serial No.759,534, I have` automatically restored after a certain time interval,but such restoration is not accomplished by the turning action of thesteering mechanism, as in the present case.

- Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is arear elevation of anautomobile equipped with the device. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of an'automobile equipped with the device, part of the automobile being brokenaway. Fig.` 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the vsteering post andadjacent mechanism. Fig.

4 is an enlarged section on line :v4-fc4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlargedsection on line v5- m5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5,showing the cam turned in a diierent position. F 1g. 7 is a section online m7-",

Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a perspective in detail of the sector'. Fig. 9 is asection on line 9-.-,

' Fig. 4.

lThe signal comprises ay rotatable element` 1, which is provided with aplurality of indicating faces 2, which may be provided with theirrespective indicating signs indieating left and right. The indicatingmember is preferably hollow with transarent sides, and provided` with anelectric ght inside-toilluminate it in the darli.

The-signal member is mounted to rotate to bring any 'ot its signs intoview, this ro-l Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented ret.y is, i915.

Application filed August 25, 1913. Serial No. 786,426.

tation being accomplished by means of a.

cable 'whi'ch is connected to a sheave 4 secured to the signaling memberl. The cable extends over' idle sheaves 5 and@ and is attached to asheave 7 fixed on the lower end oi" a controlling rod S which .extendsup alongside the steering column 9, and a handle 10 is provided foroperating'the 'control rod. 8. The rod 8 is capable of rotation andlongitudinal movement, and by Voperating the handle 10 the rod S may beturned to turn the signal member 1 into a corresponding position.. Inorder to hold the 'parts in proper indicating position when set dicate,for example, rightg and by then Y pushing the handle l()l down intonotch 12, it will hold the parm and the signal in this l position untilthey are restored, as will be described. By moving the handle 10 intoregister with notch 13 and then pushing it .down into engagementtherewith, the signal.

will be turned and locked in the position indicating left4 untilrestored. A coll spring 14 is arranged on the signal vmember l toturn'the latter tonormal p0? sition when the handle 10 is released fromeither of the notchesin the sector 11, and in order to release4 thesignal, I provide a cam l5 which is rigidly secured on the steering post16. The steering post 16 when turned, acts to steer the front wheels.This may be accomplished in any desired manner', as for example, bytheworm gearing 417 indicated in Fig. 2. The cam 15.is so arranged thatwhen the steering mechanism 1s 1n central position with the wheelsturned to guide the vehicle vstraight ahead, a recessed'portion 18 ofthe cam 15 will be under the end of the control rod 8, therebypermitting the control rod 8 to be moved down longitudinally whenengaging the handle 10 with either of the notches in the sector.

lThe signal .will thus stand in indicating position. This action Willoccur when the steering Wheels arel turned in either direction, eitherleft or right, sufliciently to guide the vehicle around the corner.

What vI claim is:

1. In a vehicle in combination with the" i steering mechanism thereof, asignal on the vehicle for indicating the direction in which lthe vehicleis about to travel, a controly rod mounted to slide longitudinally androtate,' extending along-the steering column, means' lfor detachablylooking said control lrod inwhich the Vehicle is about to travel, acontrol rod extending along thesteering post, said controlrod beingslidable and revoluble,v a' handle on said control rod, a sector vhavinga plurality of notches adapted to engage said'handle, and a cam'on saidsteering left.

post adapted to operate said control rodlongitudinally whenk saidsteering post is turned to steer the vehicle to the right or 3. In aVVehicle in combination With'the steering mechanism thereof, a signal onthe vehicle adapted tovindicate the direction in Which the vehicle isabout to travel, 4a con -trol rod extending along the 'steering post,said' control rod beingslidableand revo-/ luble, a handle on saidcontrol rod, a sector having aplurality of notchesgadapted to engagesaid. handle, a cam onjsaid'steering post adapted to. operate saidcontrol rod longitudinally when said steering post is' ras turned tosteer the Vehicle to they right or v left," and spring means forrestoring said signal to'normal position when "said handle,

is released from thel sector.

In testimony' whereof@ have hereunto set my hand at LosAngelesfCalifornia this A 4th day ofv August 1913.' v-

CHARLES' A. SWITZER.

Inpresence' ofl L lGrao. T..HAGKLEY,

LAURINE GRIFFITH.

Copies of thisl patent' may be obtained for 've cents-each, byaddressingl` the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,1).C. i

